Right In Front of Your Eyes
by readingmama
Summary: Geeky Edward Cullen has been pining over the girl of his dreams for two years. Desperate to win her over he starts a band with his friends, hoping to play his way into her heart. Will his plan work, or will he see what has been right in front of his eyes
1. Chapter 1

**Ficawesome Gift Echange**

**Title: Right In Front of Your Eyes**

**Written for: ****MyEdiction**

**Written By: Readingmama/Vampiremama**

**Rating: M**

**Summary/Prompt used: ****Geek starts a band to get the girl.**

**If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: ** **Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps **

**Or check out the C2 on Fanfiction – **

**http:/www**** . fanfiction . net/community/FicAwesome_Gift_Exchange/81343/**

Disclaimer- I don't own Twilight or anything related to it. Stephenie Meyer owns that right.

**Thank you to CullenLovingMom who was beta extraordinaire for this piece. **

**Thanks to all the wonderful people who participated in FAGE.**

Chapter 1

"Hey, Jasper, have you seen my socks?" Edward yelled out into the apartment. He was standing in the middle of his bedroom in nothing but his underpants.

"Which ones?" his roommate replied.

"The black argyle ones?"

Jasper rolled his eyes; all of Edward's socks were argyle. Jasper wondered why Edward even asked. It's not like he would leave them lying about, being the neat freak he was. Edward continued to search his room, finally finding the missing pair in the bottom of his closet.

"Found them," he shouted.

Jasper made an affirmative sound from his place on the couch, glad that he hadn't gotten up.

Edward was the kind of guy who put his socks on before his pants. He was pleased with himself this morning because his socks matched his new argyle sweater. He believed everything he wore was an extension of himself.

Knowing that he would see her today, he wanted to look extra sharp. He made an effort to see her every day, but didn't always succeed. She worked on a different floor than he, and he rarely had a reason to visit.

Edward stared at his hair in the mirror. It had always been hard to tame. But with an obscene amount of pomade, he was able to get it to lay flat against his head. He parted his hair in the middle, because he was kind of obsessive compulsive about symmetry. The slick muck made his copper-colored hair appear black, which he thought made him look more mysterious.

Heading to work, Edward parked in the back of the parking lot. All of the big wigs were given the spots in the front, near the door. Edward was most definitely not a big wig; he was the lowest of the low.

He worked in the mailroom. The job was the perfect hours for him while he was in school. After he graduated, he stayed on for another reason. Even though Edward had the intelligence to run the place, he couldn't bring himself to quit.

Because of her.

Walking into the building, Edward took a right and walked down the dingy stairwell and into the basement. The stairwell smelled like piss again. He wondered how security missed the homeless people who seemed to get into the building at least once a week. Avoiding the obvious puddle of urine on the third last stair, Edward jumped down the last few steps.

A huge smile spread over Edward's face before he even entered the mailroom because he knew that she would be there. It was payday, and the beautiful goddess from payroll made her bi weekly trip down to the "pit", as Edward and his coworkers call it, to hand out the paystubs. Payday was not the only time he saw her at work, but it was by far the longest duration that he was given the opportunity to stare at her, making it his favorite part of the job.

Today, she was especially stunning. She had her long hair pulled back, showing off her neck- one of Edward's favorite things about her. It was graceful looking, and the large diamond that she wore around it decorated it perfectly.

His goddess was dressed in a knee-length, tight skirt and suit jacket, both of which were charcoal in color. Edward glanced down at his own outfit and thought that they matched quite nicely. He was very pleased about it.

Her whole ensemble made him think dirty-librarian thoughts. He wondered for a moment what she would look like with glasses. The thought made Edward shift a little, suddenly uncomfortable in his pants.

Turning toward him, the goddess seemed to move in slow motion. She was just about to smile when another form suddenly inserted itself between Edward and the woman of his dreams.

"Hi, Edward," she said.

"Hi, Bella," Edward replied, a bit more firmly than he intended.

Bella was a good friend. She worked with Edward in the mailroom, but she had uncanny timing for interrupting his almost-moments with Rosalie Hale, the girl for whom he had pined after for the last two years.

Bella wore mostly brown-brown pants, brown shirts and brown shoes. Even her glasses had brown frames, although Edward couldn't complain about that because his frames were brown as well. Her hair was always pulled up in a pony tail which made her look more severe than she should.

"How was your weekend?" she asked, ignoring his tone.

"Pretty good. How about yours?" he replied, trying to peek around her without being rude.

"Um, kind of boring. I just watched TV mostly."

"Okay, listen up, people," Rosalie's voice carried like a siren over the white noise of the room.

Edward thought he heard Bella grumble something, but since his angel was speaking, he wasn't sure. He took a little step sideways to put Rosalie back into view. Edward waited with baited breath as she started calling out names. He loved the way his name sounded flowing from her lips.

"Brown," she said, handing an envelope to Edward's coworker. "Cullen." Edward thought that it sounded like she said his name a bit softer than the others-like a caress.

He walked up, and she held out his envelope. He wanted to touch her hand as he took it, but, as usual, he just grabbed it by the end. He paused for a moment, enjoying every second that he could be close to her. She smelled like honey.

"Thanks, Rosalie," Edward cooed adoringly. Edward wanted to say something more, but she immediately returned to her list and started calling out more names.

Edward saw Rosalie two more times that day. Once, she had even looked right at him. It was, of course, followed by her saying, "Can you have this sent out for me, Edmund?"

"It's . . . uh . . . Edward," he responded.

"Oops," she replied, and Edward was certain that she was very upset by her mistake.

Later that night, Edward found himself reading on his couch. His roommate and best friend, Jasper, was playing X-box, and the noise of the game was making it difficult for him to concentrate on his book. He really wanted to get in a few minutes of reading before their company arrived. It wasn't looking promising.

Jasper and Edward couldn't have been more different. Okay, they could, but one would have to look long and hard to find two people more unalike.

Jasper was outgoing and carefree; Edward was an introvert. Jasper was a serial monogamist; Edward was afraid to talk to the girl he'd been in love with for two years. Jasper was blond; Edward dark. In short, Jasper was the yin to Edward's yang.

Jasper and Edward met through an advertisement looking for roommates. Edward was concerned about Jasper at first, but soon found that his laid back personality didn't mean that he was irresponsible. Jasper kept his stuff clean and paid his bills on time, making him a gem of a roommate.

A loud knock from the lower portion of the door alerted Edward to his sister's arrival. She was a spitfire to be sure, but the poor girl barely stood five feet tall. Edward teased her that, at six foot two, he had gotten all the height . She usually responded that he may have gotten the height, but she got the looks. Objectively speaking, Edward had to agree that his sister was attractive, but was uncomfortable saying anymore on the topic.

"Hey, loser, what's up?" she asked, as Edward turned the lock and opened the door. This was the main reason that Edward had insisted that he and Jasper get an apartment, instead of a house, so that his sister couldn't just waltz in. Automatic locks were a great thing.

"Nice to see you too, dear sister," he replied, glaring at her. She rolled her eyes at him and tossed Jasper a bag of Doritos.

"There's my favorite girl." Jasper oozed charm. He was from the south, and the accent just seemed to trap everyone in it-like flies in a spider web.

"Oh, suck it, Whitlock. The next one is mine!" Alice chirped back.

The two of them became thick as thieves almost as soon as Jasper and Edward had moved in together. They were cut from the same cloth, as Edward and Alice's mother would say.

Every week, they bet on how many times the crazy cat lady across the alley from their building would go running through the streets screaming, "Here pussy, pussy, pussy." Jasper had won that week with his bet of sixteen. The actual number was fourteen, but Alice had bet ten, so Jasper had taken it.

"Are you seriously wearing that?" Alice spouted to Edward.

He looked down and was offended. "What's wrong with what I have on?"

"Oh, nothing," she replied. Alice had unsuccessfully tried several times to change Edward's style before finally giving up.

Jasper ripped open the Doritos bag, and the smell of artificial cheese filled the room. Edward scrunched up his nose, but grabbed a handful. He knew the only way to combat the smell of Doritos was to tarnish your own breath with the foul chips.

Another knock on the door came shortly after. Alice jumped up and opened the door to find Bella standing on the other side of the door with a pizza in one hand and a six pack in the other.

"Bella!" Alice squealed and wrapped her arms around Bella's waist.

Jasper was right behind her and grabbed the pizza that was teetering in Bella's hands.

"Alice, try not to break any ribs this time," Bella responded as the small girl squeezed her.

"I only bruised it," Alice replied under her breath, but let Bella go.

"Hey, Bella," Jasper said, as he opened the pizza box and smiled at its contents.

Alice took the six pack and followed Jasper to the kitchen. Bella stepped into the apartment and saw Edward sitting on the couch.

"Hi, Edward," she said timidly. Edward intimidated her and she found her normally witty self lost when she was around him.

"Hey, Bella," Edward replied kindly.

Monday night was pizza night at Jasper and Edward's place, and Bella had been coming for two months now. She wished that it had been Edward who invited her, but it had actually been Jasper.

A group of her coworkers went out for a drink one night, and Jasper had picked Edward up from the bar. Bella and Jasper hit it off, and he invited her to join them for their weekly pizza meal. Edward had seemed agreeable to the idea, so she readily accepted. She hoped that this time together would help him get to know her better and vice versa.

Unfortunately, after eight Mondays, Bella was still just as mousy around Edward as she always was, but she had come to count Jasper and Alice as two of her closest friends, so all wasn't lost.

"So, how was your day, man?" Jasper asked Edward, as he came back in the room with some plates and the pizza box.

"Good, it was payday," Edward said, his eyes lighting up.

Jasper knew what that meant. Fucking Rosalie Hale. Jasper hated that girl. She was vain and fake and all wrong for Edward. The problem was that Edward seemed to think that Rosalie pissed unicorns and rainbows, and there was no convincing him otherwise. Jasper decided that this was the perfect opportunity to get Edward to see the light.

"Dude, if you really want to tap that, you should start a band," Jasper said. Bella's eyes shot to Jasper, and he recognized the emotion in them. "You play piano, I could play guitar, and if we find a drummer and a singer, then we are set. Chicks dig guys in a band."

"You think?" Edward asked excitedly.

"I know a drummer," Alice piped up.

"Of course, you do," Jasper said mockingly.

Alice dated-a lot. She wasn't slutty, but she liked to keep her options open. You could name any profession, and Alice had dated at least one guy who did it.

"Oh, shut it," she snapped. "Carlisle is kick-ass on the skins."

Edward and Jasper shared a look and broke out laughing. Alice's attempt at using any type of slang came across as hilarious. She once tried to use 'jiggy' in a sentence, and they never let her live in down.

"I can sing," Bella said, her voice so quiet that she wasn't sure anyone had heard her.

Edward looked a little uncomfortable. Bella was his friend, but he needed his band to be good in order to get Rosalie's attention.

"Show us whatcha got, little missy?" Jasper said, giving her a wink.

Bella suddenly felt very nervous. She looked at Jasper and then Alice, as if one of them could help her out. Edward saw her unease and felt bad. He wanted to do something, and the idea popped into his head immediately.

"Here, why don't you tell me what you want to sing, and I'll play for you on my keyboard."

"Oh, okay," she replied, breathing out a huge sigh. Edward went to his bedroom and pulled out his keyboard. He set it down in front of the couch and looked up expectantly at Bella, waiting for her choice.

She knew that this was her one chance. If she could belt something out that Edward liked, she would be in his band, and they would get to spend countless hours together practicing. Sure, it would all be to help him get his girl, but she hoped that he might see what was right in front of his eyes.

"'At Last'," Bella said, staring at Edward.

Edward was surprised. He knew the Etta James' song well, but couldn't believe that Bella would. He placed his fingers on the familiar keys and started to play. Bella's mouth opened and music came pouring out. All of her awkwardness was gone as she began doing the one thing she truly loved- singing.

If Edward was surprised by her song choice, he was flabbergasted by her voice. Gritty, yet feminine, Bella's raspy voice was one of the best he had ever heard. She was so confident standing there that Edward thought for a moment that she looked beautiful. She was the perfect choice to help him get Rosalie Hale.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ficawesome Gift Echange**

**Title: Right In Front of Your Eyes**

**Written for: ****MyEdiction**

**Written By: Readingmama/Vampiremama**

**Rating: M**

**Summary/Prompt used: ****Geek starts a band to get the girl.**

**If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: ** **Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps **

**Or check out the C2 on Fanfiction – **

**http:/www**** . fanfiction . net/community/FicAwesome_Gift_Exchange/81343/**

Disclaimer- I don't own Twilight or anything related to it. Stephenie Meyer owns that right.

**Thank you to CullenLovingMom who was beta extraordinaire for this piece. **

**Thanks to all the wonderful people who participated in FAGE.**

Chapter 2

When Edward and Jasper sat in the large practice room that they had rented at the local University, Edward wondered how he had got himself into such a predicament. Sure, he was confident in his skills, but he hadn't played publicly in six years, not even a recital.

Alice was the next to arrive. While Alice wasn't officially in the band, she was the band's moral support or, as she called herself, the stylist. Edward laughed at the thought of Jasper in leather pants, but then stopped when he pictured Alice putting him in them too. Surely his sister wouldn't do that to him, he hoped.

The next time the door opened, a blonde man came walking through. He had his waist-length hair pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck and a bandana on his forehead. Edward raised an eyebrow at Alice, wondering if she told him they were a metal band or something. The guy looked like a throwback from the eighties, and Edward seriously hoped that his sister hadn't dated this man.

He walked up to Alice and wrapped his arms around her, picking her up in a hug. "Hey, Sprite!"

"Carlisle," she giggled as he put her down. "Guys, this is Carlisle. Carlisle, this is Edward and Jasper."

"Hi," Edward replied.

"Hey," Jasper said.

It turned out that Carlisle had graduated from Julliard three years before. He was a couple years older than the guys, but had already played with two bands and a travelling musical. To say he was diverse was a severe understatement. Edward was reluctantly impressed.

The three played around with some song selections that Jasper and Edward had chosen. It didn't take long for them to get lost in the music. It was clear that they gelled well right from the start.

"Sorry, I'm late," a small voice carried gently over the music. Edward looked up and saw his friend coming in the door.

Bella was carrying a file full of music and stumbled as soon as Edward made eye contact with her. The papers went flying all over the floor. Edward rushed over, bending down to help her pick them up. Close proximity to Edward always made Bella nervous, but something about him on his hands and knees in front of her was nearly too much.

The first practice went well, and it quickly became an almost nightly routine. Bella and Edward started carpooling to rehearsals which helped their friendship grow. They would talk about all sorts of things, and Bella wondered sometimes if Edward could tell how much she cared for him. Getting to know Edward better just made the longing worse for Bella. He was all she could think about, but she wouldn't have traded it for anything.

**September**

As Edward pulled the car into the parking stall, he said something that nearly tore Bella's heart out.

"So, if you were Rosalie, you'd dig this, right? I mean- do you think this will work?" Edward hadn't spoken to Bella about Rosalie for a while, and if he was being honest with himself, he hadn't thought about her much lately either. He attributed this omission to all the time he had spent preparing his seduction.

Bella put on a brave face and made a joke, "Did you just say dig?"

The problem was her delivery was off, and, for the first time, Edward saw right through her.

Edward turned and faced the steering wheel. Did Bella really like him? The feeling that hit him at the thought was different than he expected. He wanted to say something to her, to ask if she fancied him, but was unsure of how to word it. After all, his heart was already spoken for, wasn't it? He didn't want to hurt his friend, so he stayed silent.

Bella took his silence as a bad sign and spoke again, "Edward, it will be fine. Rosalie would be a fool not to fall for you after you've gone through so much trouble to get her attention."

The words should have made Edward happy, but instead, they made him ache. He could see Bella's pain and did not want to be the cause of it.. Unfortunately, Edward couldn't find words to make it better, so he continued to sit in silence.

"Can I ask you something?" Bella inquired quietly.

"Sure," Edward replied.

"What do you see in her?"

Edward thought about her question. He had been in love with Rosalie Hale for two years, so it should have been easy for him to answer. The only thing that popped into his head at the moment was that she was beautiful. But, when he looked at Bella, he couldn't really remember why he'd ever thought so.

"I don't know- she's just…Rosalie," he finished lamely.

The answer left both Edward and Bella unsatisfied. How could she compete with 'just Rosalie' and how could he not know what he saw in her?

Edward stepped out of the car while Bella took a moment to collect herself. Maybe, all this time together was really a waste. If all that was happening was that Bella was falling harder, it would be unbearable for her in the end.

Edward walked over and opened Bella's door.. She looked stunned at the gesture, but when a smile came over her face, Edward was glad he had done it.

Jasper and Carlisle weren't there yet. So, when they walked into the big room, their footsteps echoed. Bella liked the practice space. Gathering there several times a week was exciting to her- and not just because she got to see Edward.

Edward shifted nervously before speaking. "Do you want to warm up?" he asked.

"Sure," Bella replied.

Edward sat down at the piano and plunked out some scales while Bella followed along effortlessly with her voice. She liked a traditional vocal warm up to get her ready for rehearsal.

The songs that they decided to cover had a gritty feel to them and were laced with sexual undertones. Bella flushed thinking about the words she would sing. Once she was in her zone though, it wouldn't matter if she was singing about mating giraffes.

The stage was the one place she wasn't afraid. It was one place that allowed her to be all the people she wasn't in real life. Performing Bella could be sassy or sexy or even rebellious. In the spotlight, Bella could shine in a way that she had trouble accomplishing in real life.

"Is everything okay?" Edward asked, his hand brushing against Bella's bare arm. She had stopped singing and was staring off into space.

"Oh, yeah," she replied, breaking out of her trance.

Edward was still touching her arm, and she glanced down at it. Edward knew that he should probably pull away, but he couldn't find the will to have his skin leave hers.

"Hello, hello," Carlisle's voice came booming into the room. Edward snatched his hand back like he'd been burned, and Bella recoiled from his action. He opened his mouth, then closed it, not knowing what to say.

**October**

"I think if you guys come in with an 'ooooh' here, it will give it a nice harmony," Bella said.

Edward and she were working alone again. Jasper seemed to be spending a lot of time with his girlfriend in the evenings and Carlisle didn't see a point for the drummer to be there when the guitarist wasn't, but he didn't need much practice. Carlisle was a prodigy on the drums.

"Like this?" Edward asked, before singing the notes Bella had requested. He stopped when he noticed her giving him a funny look.

"What?" Edward was feeling self conscious for the first time around Bella. He usually only felt that way around Rosalie.

"Perfect," Bella said dreamily. "I mean . . . that was just what I think we need. Rosalie will just die when she hears you on backup."

"Yeah, I guess. But even if she doesn't, I'm having a lot of fun with the band. I hope that we keep going." The smile that spread a mile wide across Bella's face was contagious, and Edward found himself smiling too.

"I'd like that too," she replied.

"So, how long has Jasper been dating Maria? It seems pretty serious- with them spending all this time together." Bella said, changing the subject.

"Oh, they've been together for a year and a bit. It's always serious with Jasper," Edward replied.

"What do you mean?"

"With Jasper, every girl is 'the one'. Jasper is never single for long, and as soon as he starts dating a girl, she's 'the _one'!"_ Edward said with a mocking tone.

"Well, that's a little hypocritical of you, don't you think?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well . . . you haven't even started dating Rosalie or talking to her really, and you think she's 'the one'. At least Jasper knows the girls he falls in love with. I mean I bet you know more about me know than you do about Rosalie."

"It's different," Edward said petulantly. He was upset, because Bella's comment was more right than he wanted it to be.

"How is it different?"

"I don't know . . . 'cause you're my friend. It's easy to talk to you. We can hang out and eat pizza. You don't do that with girls you're dating."

"Why not?"

"I don't know . . . 'cause girls you date don't like beer and pizza."

But even as he said the words, Edward had to admit that idea of dating a girl who liked beer and pizza sounded wonderful.

"So . . . I'm un-datable . . . because I like beer and Pizza?" Bella asked, bemused and insulted.

"No, that's not what I meant. I just . . . . Girls like Rosalie don't do beer and pizza."

"And what makes girls like Rosalie so much better than girls like me?" Bella willed the words back into her mouth the moment they came out. She didn't do well with rejection, and this question was way too loaded for her liking.

"They aren't better . . ." Edward started, but then stopped. That was it. They _weren't_ better.

**November**

"I look ridiculous!" Edward stated.

Alice swatted him on the arm for the umpteenth time. "Shut it. You guys have a real gig now, and we have to work on your image," the small spitfire answered.

Edward looked again at the full length mirror in front of him. Alice had dressed him in distressed jeans and a black button up shirt. He looked far more casual than he ever did, but it was the hair that he was far more concerned about.

Alice had taken his hair and spiked it in all directions. It looked like he had just gotten out of bed. Coaxing Edward's hair into this array required minimal styling product, due in large part to Edward's three cowlicks.

The most shocking difference, however, was the color. His vibrant, bronze hair shone through, and he felt like he had lost his mysterious dark persona.

"Alice, I can't wear…" Bella yelped, as she came into the room, but stopped short when she saw Edward. "Wow."

Edward looked at her skeptically, but when he saw the look on her face, he knew that she wasn't faking it. Bella really liked his new look.

"Your hair…" she started.

"I know, I think maybe we should gel it down as usual."

"No!" both Bella and Alice yelled at the same time. Alice turned to Bella and quirked an eyebrow. Bella looked down and blushed.

"I think it looks nice like that," Bella said to her shoes.

Edward looked back into the mirror, but didn't see what the two girls had. He shrugged and looked back towards the women.

"If you say so."

Bella had an urge to run her fingers through Edward's hair. Of course, she had always found him attractive, but with his natural hair color shining through, he was beyond stunning.

There was no way in the world Rosalie Hale wouldn't fall for the man that stood in front of her. Maybe she should have let him slick his hair back down, and_ then_ she might have had a chance.

Edward stopped worrying about his own attire for a minute to take in Bella's. He thought maybe he had escaped the leather pants, but he hadn't-they were just on Bella. The pants, paired with a red t-shirt that said 'Rock' and had a picture of a stone underneath it, made Bella look like a geek's fantasy.

"You look….ah…really, really good. Like _really _good, Bella," Edward said, unable to stop the verbal diarrhea.

"Thanks," Bella replied, feeling quite a bit better about the outfit she hated just a few moments earlier.

Alice quickly excused herself, muttering something about fitting the other boys for their outfits, before making her exit.

"Oh, you got a tag," Edward said, reaching for a price tag on the sleeve.

Bella lifted her arm to give Edward some room to remove it, but lost her balance. She grabbed onto his neck for balance. Her hand was deliciously close to his hair, but she couldn't figure out a way to touch it inconspicuously, so she left it alone.

Bella was so caught up reveling in the closeness that she didn't realize when Edward finished and she was still holding onto him for support.

Edward had noticed that Bella always smelled good, but at this distance, he was almost dizzy with the fragrance. She smelled like something he wanted to lick.

Edward found himself breathing heavily. He leaned in, and Bella's breath caught. Their eyes met, and Bella hoped that this would be the moment she had been waiting for.

Edward cleared his throat and took a step back. Bella tried desperately not to look hurt, but she failed . . . miserably.


	3. Chapter 3

**Ficawesome Gift Echange**

**Title: Right In Front of Your Eyes**

**Written for: ****MyEdiction**

**Written By: Readingmama/Vampiremama**

**Rating: M**

**Summary/Prompt used: ****Geek starts a band to get the girl.**

**If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: ** **Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps **

**Or check out the C2 on Fanfiction – **

**http:/www**** . fanfiction . net/community/FicAwesome_Gift_Exchange/81343/**

Disclaimer- I don't own Twilight or anything related to it. Stephenie Meyer owns that right.

**Thank you to CullenLovingMom who was beta extraordinaire for this piece. **

**Thanks to all the wonderful people who participated in FAGE.**

Chapter 3

Walking into the building, Edward took a right, but quickly corrected himself. He had this planned out to a tee. He headed to the left and the elevators. The nervousness he felt for what he was about to do was nearly gone. He had a hard time worrying about what Rosalie would say when he could still picture the hurt look on Bella's face.

He had only seen her really smile once since that day.

_Bella was sitting, talking with Jasper. She had been doing that more and more since he had backed off from the almost kiss. He saw her sigh before standing up and walking over to where he was. He knew that she was moving in his direction so that she could warm up, but he wanted her for more than scales. He wanted to talk to her- to return to that easy conversation that they had developed over the past few months. _

"_Hey," she said quietly. _

"_Hi, Bella," he replied. Edward wanted to say something more, maybe something clever and witty, to make her smile, but he couldn't think of anything like that. _

"_The band is getting really good."_

"_Yeah, I really enjoy it," she replied. _

"_Me too," he said in a way that he hope that she understood that he enjoyed her being in the band as well. _

_Carlisle came bounding through the door with more energy than he had ever displayed before. He held up a sheet of paper above his head and said, "Take that, bitches, we've got a gig!"_

_Bella screamed, and the noise startled Edward. Before he knew it, she leapt into his arms. Her smile was radiant, but it didn't last long. Bella seemed to remember herself and pulled herself out of Edward's arms. _

_She barely glanced at him again that rehearsal. _

Edward watched the numbers light up above the door on the elevator. He found that this way he didn't have to make eye contact with anyone on the elevator. Edward remembered why he hated elevators so much when "The Girl from Ipanema" came on. Holding in a groan, because it's never good to groan on a crowded elevator, Edward shifted from side to side, wishing he could plug his ears.

Finally, when the light stopped on floor fifteen, Edward stepped out. He had been on this floor before. He had been on all the floors before. He didn't normally deliver the mail, but he had filled in on occasion, volunteering in hopes of catching a glimpse of Ms. Hale.

He knew exactly where her office was, and his body was on auto pilot when it headed that way. Her door was open when he arrived there, but she was on the phone, laughing. He saw her eyes flicker up to him so Edward stood outside her door, nervously holding the flyer in his hand.

Rosalie carried on a personal conversation for a good ten minutes before she hung up. She knew Edward had been waiting outside for her and liked it. She had seen the way he looked at her, and it fed her ego. He was not at all her type, but she didn't care where flattery came from as long as it was directed at her.

"What is it, Edwin?" she called out.

Edward entered the room and stood awkwardly in front of her desk. Being left outside had annoyed him. It wasn't the first time she had done this to him, but it was the first time he reacted to it. He wondered if she treated everyone this callously.

"It's Edward," he replied curtly.

Rosalie could see that he was losing interest. She didn't like that, so she pulled out her pout. Pressing her lips together, she pictured how she looked to him. Hot.

"Sorry, Edward," she purred. "What can I do for you?"

"Oh," Edward said, surprised at her change in tone. He thought she looked genuinely interested in what he had to say so he continued. "I have a band…"

"Oh- sexy," she cooed.

"Right," he squeaked, "Well we have a gig this Friday at The Meadow, and I was hoping you might stop by and hear us."

Normally, Rosalie would have never said yes, but she liked the way Edward followed her around. She thought if she threw him a bone, he might keep doing that. Surely, an after work attendance would keep him going for another year or so.

"Sure," she replied.

Edward was thrilled. All of the feelings that had faded over the last couple of months came flooding back to him. Rosalie Hale had accepted his invitation. Sure, it wasn't a date, but if the band was good, maybe it would turn into one.

"Okay, then. Um, here's the flyer with the details. I'll see you there," he said.

Rosalie smiled at him as he handed the flyer to her. Edward strutted out of her office feeling better than ever. The moment he was gone Rosalie took a look at the flyer.

"Ugh," she said, rolling her eyes and tossing the paper off to the side.

Bella sat on a wooden chair with her head between her legs, taking deep breaths. She had arrived shortly after Jasper and Carlisle, but hadn't said much to either of them. When she sat down and stuck her head down, Carlisle became worried, but Jasper just shook his head. Edward saw her immediately when he rounded the corner to backstage.

"Bella, are you okay?" Edward asked, crouching down beside her chair. He placed his hand on her back and rubbed small circles.

Bella smiled between her legs, but Edward couldn't see it. She allowed him to comfort her for a moment before she lifted her head up and met Edward's eyes. She was ready. She could do this.

"Yeah, let's do this."

Edward led Bella back to the dressing rooms. Carlisle and Jasper were already in their Alice-approved wardrobe, so they waited in the small area backstage, chatting. Edward dressed behind the raggedy couch in the room while Alice did Bella's makeup. When she was finished with Bella, she fixed Edward's hair.

As Alice tugged and pulled at his hair, all Edward wanted to do was turn around. He could hear the sounds of Bella's clothes rustling, and he knew that Bella was only partially dressed behind him. Edward would have given just about anything to be able to see that.

"Hold your head still, Romeo," Alice quipped.

"I didn't move it," he grumbled back, feeling like an ass. Here, he was trying to sneak a peek at his friend while he was preparing to woo Rosalie.

"Okay, all done," Alice said. "You decent, Bella?"

"Yup," he heard the soft voice call from behind him. Alice moved away from him, and Edward stood up.

Edward had seen Bella in her outfit before, but with her hair and makeup done, she was a sight to see. Their eyes locked, and Edward couldn't help but think how pretty those eyes were, like pools of liquid chocolate.

"I'll just let you two warm up," Alice said, sporting a grin a mile wide.

They didn't break eye contact until the door closed behind Alice. Bella looked away first. Her attraction to Edward felt so raw after the rejection. It was like an open wound, and when he looked at her like that, it was akin rubbing salt in it.

"Do you think she'll really show?" Edward asked, trying to make conversation.

"She's already out there. Jasper saw her before you got here."

"Oh . . . that's great," Edward said, but his voice didn't sound nearly as excited as it should.

A knock on the door was followed by Jasper's voice, "Five minutes, you two."

Edward suddenly looked very nervous. Bella thought briefly that if she messed up, then Rosalie wouldn't like him and her problem would be solved, but she loved the band too much to do it.

"Are you okay?" she asked. She wondered briefly if he was feigning it as she had done earlier to feel his touch.

"I just . . . I haven't played in front of anyone for so long."

"You'll do great," she said, but he scoffed. Bella took this as an invitation and walked up to him. She put her hands on his arms and gave a gentle squeeze. "I believe in you, Edward."

Edward reached his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a hug. Bella sighed softly, yet contentedly, in his embrace.

"Thanks, Bella," he said sincerely.

When they took the stage, the crowd didn't even notice. They were too busy drinking beers and having their own conversations. But after one bar of music, they had everyone's attention.

Rosalie Hale sat in the front row. If she was going to have to endure this, she wanted to make sure she was seen. That way he could make eyes at her all night and pump up her already inflated ego.

When the band started playing, she looked through the members. Where was Edward? She wondered through the whole first song if this was the opening band.

But when the guitarist announced that their next song was for Rosalie, a dedication from the keyboardist, she sat stunned.

There behind the keyboards was Edward, but not like she had ever seen him before. His hair was a beautiful bronze, and the way it stuck out was unbelievably sexy.

"I thought you said this guy was lame," her friend stated next to her.

"Shut up, Esme," Rosalie bit out. "That is not what he looks like at work."

"So are you going to tap that?" she asked. "'Cause if you do, I am totally humping the drummer."

"Gross, Esme, that guy is dirty!"

"I know, but did you see those arms? I'd like a ticket to his gun show." Esme tossed her caramel hair back over her shoulders, never taking her eyes off Carlisle.

Rosalie rolled her eyes at her friend, but thought she may get her chance. Edward Cullen was going to be a very lucky boy tonight after all.

When the band finished their set, they all relaxed briefly in the green room, all except for Carlisle who had gone MIA shortly after the show. It was Alice who answered the knock on the door. A stage hand was on the other side, but Edward couldn't make out what he was saying. Alice turned and shot Bella an apologetic glance before resting her eyes on Edward.

"Rosalie wants to see you."

Edward stood up, immediately feeling excited. He was still full of adrenaline from the show. He looked at his band mates, but neither Jasper nor Bella would look at him. He frowned, but went out to hopefully claim the prize he was after.

Rosalie was dressed in a barely-there red dress, and Edward thought she looked like sin. He smiled shyly as he approached her.

"Edward, you were fabulous," she purred and meant it this time. She ran her hand down his chest and rested it on the front of his pants. "I didn't realize you were so talented."

Edward took a quick step back. Everything he had thought he wanted was standing in front of him, but he had been so wrong. Rosalie's fake nails and brassy come-ons weren't what he wanted—at all. He'd made a terrible mistake, and he hoped that he could fix it.

"Why don't we go back to my place, Edward, and you can show me just how talented you really are."

"No, thank you, Rosalie. I appreciate you coming to our show, but I'm not interested in you like that anymore."

Edward missed the look of fury in Rosalie's face as he turned and walked away from her, but did hear the clacking sound of her stilettos stomping off and her shrill voice calling out for her friend. He turned the corner and opened the green room door.

"What are you doing back so soon?" Jasper asked. He and Alice were throwing Smarties into each other's mouths.

"Where's Bella?" Edward asked.

"She left," Alice said.

"Why?"

"Are you really that blind, man?" Jasper retorted.

"Not anymore, that's why I need to find her."

Alice squealed and jumped up out of her chair, earning her a Smartie right in her goody bag. Jasper laughed, but Alice was too excited to scowl at him.

Edward ran out the door. He swung the adjacent door open only to find Carlisle. Apparently Edward wasn't the only one who had made an impression that night, because Carlisle was making out with a young lady with caramel colored hair.

Edward shut the door quickly and headed out the back exit of the club. His eyes searched wildly around the parking lot, but a sniffle from beside him caught his attention. Sitting on an old crate just off to the side of the door, Bella was crying.

"Bella," Edward said.

"Just don't Edward. You can't get shot down and then come to me. I don't want to be second place," she sniffled.

"She didn't shoot me down," he said.

"What?"

"I turned her down." Bella looked up at Edward to gauge the sincerity of his words. He wore a frantic expression.

"Really?" She looked excited and then suspicious. "Why?"

"Bella, I've been such an idiot. You've been in front of my eyes for so long, and I've never seen how amazing you are. Will you give me a chance?"

Bella almost laughed at the ridiculousness of his question, but instead, she answered him by jumping into his arms and kissing him. Their lips touched, and they both moaned. The kiss was everything Bella had wanted her first kiss with Edward to be, passionate, sweet and no longer just in her unconsciousness.

"There you two are . . . oh . . . sorry," Jasper said, breaking the moment.

Edward looked at Bella and smiled. "Wait here, okay. I'm just going to grab our stuff, and we can go talk."

Bella nodded, and Edward made his way inside, shooting a glare at Jasper for his timing. As soon as the door closed, Bella gave Jasper a huge smile.

Jasper ran up and hugged Bella, and she returned the hug with all her might.

"See, Bella, I told you starting this band would work."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Three months later**

Bella stood in Edward's bedroom watching him pace. The past three months had been everything she could have hoped for. The band was gaining success, and having Edward as her boyfriend was beyond words. There was just one thing she wanted more than anything.

They had talked about it and chosen that night as the night for them to make love for the first time. Edward had made dinner reservations and planned a romantic carriage ride in the park. Unfortunately, the waiter spilled wine on Bella before dinner, and it rained while they were on the carriage ride. Bella hadn't minded. Edward looked delicious when wet.

Edward was frustrated that nothing had gone right. He had fallen so in love with Bella, and he'd wanted to show her how much she meant to him. At that moment, her stomach took the opportunity to let out a loud grumble. After the tiny portions of fancy restaurant, she was starving. Edward growled and paced faster. Bella was starting to worry that he might never stop.

"It's okay," she said, trying to calm him down.

"It's not okay. I wanted everything to be perfect for you tonight," he whined.

"Well then, come here." Bella opened her arms, and Edward paced right into them. She held him and comforted him until he was a bit calmer. "There we go, now it's perfect."

"But you're hungry….and wet," he pouted.

"I thought you liked me wet," she teased, which earned her a smile. "Why don't we order a pizza?"

Edward thought back to the comment she had made at his house months ago. Why couldn't their perfect night be beer and pizza? Smiling, he pulled back just enough to look in her eyes.

"How did I get so lucky? I love you," he said. He had said it before, but it filled Bella's heart with joy every time she heard it.

Bella stood on her toes and pulled him in for a kiss. What started as a gentle kiss quickly morphed into a passionate one. Their lips never fought for dominance; they just relinquished control to each other in turns. Bella pulled herself away, and Edward furrowed his brow. Reaching down, she pulled her still wet t-shirt off her body. Edward took an audible gulp when she was left in her bra. The wetness had seeped through her shirt, and her pale bra was see-through. It was almost more tempting than having her naked.

She took a step forward and grabbed the hem of Edward's shirt. She pulled slowly enjoying the appearance of each muscle as the fabric went up. His physique was lean, but since the band had taken off, Alice had made the guys put in time at the gym. It had definitely paid off. Edward, finally deciding to let go of the evening's frustration, reached around and undid her bra, letting it fall unceremoniously to the floor.

When they were both topless, they pressed their bodies together, enjoying the feel of one another's skin. Edward places his fingers delicately on Bella's neck and slid his hand from her collarbone down to her breast and gently played. He knew just what to do to drive her crazy, and he was pulling out all of his tricks now.

Edward backed Bella up until she was pressed against the bed and attempted to lower her on it. Unfortunately, he lost his balance and landed on top of her with a thump. Bella let out a surprised little cough.

"Oh shit, are you okay?" he asked.

Bella was too distracted by the feel of Edward's full weight on top of her to notice any discomfort. She reached around and grabbed his ass to answer his question. Edward let out a moan, and Bella felt powerful.

They kissed and touched lovingly on the bed until neither of them could stand the wait any longer. Bella had an erogenous spot on her right hip, and if Edward touched it one more time with his tongue, she would lose her ability to function.

Edward stood up to take off his pants and then removed Bella's as well. Once they were both naked, the tension in the room increased. They had seen each other naked before, but this time was different. This time, they knew that they were going all the way.

Edward gently caressed her stomach before moving lower. Bella grabbed his hand to stop him, and he looked up confused.

"Please, Edward. I don't want to wait a second longer."

Edward nodded eagerly and reached over to the nightstand. He pulled out the brand new box of condoms and cursed himself for not opening the box before he left for his date. The damn glue was strong, and he couldn't get the box open. Not willing to be thwarted by the prophylactic packaging, he ripped the whole box, causing the condoms to fly all over the floor. Bella giggled as Edward bent down and gave her a delicious view of his backside.

Edward returned with a condom, but he was so nervous his hand shook as he tried to open the wrapper. Bella took the small foil from him and opened it. She rolled the condom on Edward, taking extra time to make sure it was on properly. Edward seemed to appreciate her dedication to their safety, as his eyes rolled into the back of his head in appreciation.

"Are you sure you don't want me to . . . you know . . . first?" Edward asked. He wasn't sure he could give her an orgasm during intercourse, and he didn't want to leave her unsatisfied.

"I just want you inside me," she responded in a voice that nearly stopped the night all together.

Edward lowered himself on top of Bella, lining up with her. When he pushed into her, she made a grunting noise, and Edward watched her carefully to make sure the sound was one of pleasure and not pain. He remained still for what felt like forever, waiting until her was sure that she was okay before moving.

Bella had never felt anything more wonderful than the feeling of Edward inside of her. They fit together perfectly, and she shed tears of overwhelming happiness at the thought of it. She had waited and fantasized for so long about Edward, and to have him be even more than she expected made her heart dance with joy.

She moved her hips in time with his, each of them doing things to encourage the other to feel more passion. Edward massaged and rubbed all of the places that he knew Bella liked to be touched. That he had ever doubted his ability to satisfy her was absurd.

When Bella hit her climax, she kept her eyes locked with Edward's. It was dreadfully hard not to close them, but she wanted him to see what he did to her. How her soul was alight with love for him.

Edward saw it, and when he came a moment later, he afforded Bella the same courtesy she had him. Staring into Bella's eyes as he came was euphoric. He wondered how he could have ever wanted anyone other than this lovely creature. He knew he would never want another again.

When he pulled out and rolled over, he quickly discarded the condom and gathered Bella in his arms.

"Thank you for loving me," he said.

"You are so welcome," she responded. "Now, how about that pizza?"


End file.
